Union leader John Dougherty resigns as leader of IBEW Local 98 one day after conviction
Dougherty tendered his resignation before the Local 98 Executive Board on Monday evening, the union said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon.
John ''Johnny Doc'' Dougherty gestures as he is driven from the federal courthouse in Philadelphia, Monday, Nov. 15, 2021. Dougherty was found guilty of conspiracy charges Monday in his corruption trial. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
This story originally appeared on 6abc.
Powerful Philadelphia labor leader John Dougherty has resigned from his position as business manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98.
Dougherty tendered his resignation before the Local 98 Executive Board on Monday evening, the union said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. Dougherty has led the union for nearly 30 years.
“The Executive Board reluctantly but unanimously accepted his resignation,” the statement from union spokesman Frank Keel reads.
Local 98 Safety Director Mark Lynch was elected to serve as Interim Business Manager.
“I made this difficult but necessary decision to resign as Business Manager for the good of this union that has been my life’s work and passion,” Dougherty said in the statement. “I am leaving Local 98 in an incredibly strong position, financially and otherwise.
His resignation comes one day after he and City Councilman Bobby Henon were found guilty of conspiracy charges in a corruption trial.
Related Content
John Dougherty and Bobby Henon convicted of conspiracy in federal corruption trial
A jury found City Councilmember Bobby Henon and union boss John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty guilty on most counts in the federal corruption case against them.
2 years ago
Prosecutors said Dougherty kept Henon, a union electrician-turned-Philadelphia City Council member, on the payroll to help his union keep a tight grip on construction jobs.
Their convictions follow a lengthy FBI investigation of activities within the chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers that Dougherty leads, but will not mark the end of Dougherty’s legal woes.
Dougherty still faces at least one more federal trial based on charges in the sweeping 2019 indictment.
Dougherty was convicted of eight counts, including conspiracy and honest services wire fraud, while Henon was convicted of 10 counts, including conspiracy, bribery and honest services wire fraud.
U.S. Attorney Jennifer Williams called the verdict “a strong message to the political power players of this city and any city that the citizens of Philadelphia will not tolerate public corruption as business as usual.”
Jurors deliberated for several days last week before announcing a verdict Monday afternoon. The defendants’ sentencing was scheduled for February.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Disclosure: The Electricians Union Local 98 represents engineers, camera personnel, editors, audio and maintenance techs at WHYY.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.
More U.S. parents than ever have paid leave this Mother’s Day — but most still don’t
Momentum is building in the Senate and House to expand paid leave. With no federal law, 13 states and the District of Columbia have adopted paid family and medical leave laws.
17 hours ago
Pa. trooper who arrested LGBTQ+ leaders in Philly no longer works for state police
In March, Celena Morrison and husband Darius McLean were arrested after a traffic stop on an elevated stretch of highway in the city, part of which was captured on video.
2 days ago
ACCT Philly dealing with severe overcrowding, in need of short-term fosters
"We were Instacarting dog crates because we had no place for these dogs to sit," said ACCT Philly's executive director.
2 days ago